Delta partners farmers’ foundation on food security, job creation

 

Food

By Ifeanyi Olannye

Asaba, Oct. 15, 2024 (NAN) Delta Government said on Tuesday that it would partner with Green Revolution Farmers Feed the Nation Foundation (GRFFNF) to ensure food security and job creation in the state.

The State Commissioners for Agriculture and Natural Resources, Mr Val Arenyeka, and his counterpart in Trade and Investment, Mr Samuel Oligida, gave the assurance when the group paid them a courtesy visit in Asaba.

Both commissioners acknowledged that the foundation’s vision was in tune with the Gov. Sheriff Oborevwori’s M.O.R.E. Agenda mantra.

The agenda aims to create opportunities for all and to ensure food security and job creation for youths, women and persons living with disabilities (PWD’s).

Arenyeka said that the foundation would provide answers to the current hunger in the country, given its recorded achievements targeted at agriculture and food production in the country.

“Your foundation, from your records, has achieved much in a short while; I want to assure you that the state will partner with you to achieve food security.

” As a state, we encourage everybody to own a small farm and it is then we can achieve food security in our state.”

The commissioner said that the agriculture ministry would be opening up 2,000 hectares and creating clusters for famers in the state to cultivate.

He gave an assurance that members of the foundation would be carried along.

Arenyeka said that the ministry would support the foundation in capacity building, to enable it to drive its programme in the state.

He said it would also give technical and financial support as well as palliatives.

On his part, the Commissioner for Trade and Investment, Oligida, advised the foundation to key into all the state government programmes by properly aligning itself with the ministry.

He said that the ministry would ensure that the foundation got the needed funding and marketing support that it asked for, to enable it to revolutionise agriculture in the state.

According to Oligida, Gov Oborevwori’s M.O.R.E. Agenda provides opportunity for all.

“Lots of interventions have been given to farmers across various agricultural and farming groups in the state under the Delta-CARES programme in collaboration with the Federal Government and other agencies,” he said.

He assured the foundation that the ministry would support it, adding that hunger knows no boundary and ” a hungry man is an angry man”.

Earlier, the Foundation’s National President, Amb. Jonathan Okwudiri, said the visit was to familiarise GRFFNF with the state government and to explore possible ways of collaboration and partnership.

He said that the foundation, a duly registered corporate association with presence in all the 774 Local Government Areas of the 36 states plus the Federal Capital Territory, had over 700,000 members across the country.

While appreciating Gov. Oborevwori’s laudable intervention in agriculture and industry, he appealed for support in areas of land development, capacity building, access to market, credit facilities, farming equipment, fertilisers and extension services.

“Rest assured that, Green Revolution Farmers Feed the Nation Foundation will always support His Excellency’s vision and political aspirations in this state.

“With your support, we can amplify

our impact, drive agricultural growth, food security, rural development,

and improve the lives of Delta state citizens,”

” In Delta, we have a vibrant state chapter and clusters in all the 25 LGAS, with over 20,000 members,” he said.

He said that the foundation was committed to promoting agriculture, farming and food security, among others.

“GRFFNF is very mindful of the fact that the only way to ensure food security in Nigeria and end poverty and hardship is for every Nigerian to get involved in agricultural farming,” Okwudiri said.(NAN) (www.nannews.com.ng).

IO/SOA

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Edited by Oluwole Sogunle